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LPN

In a strategic move to tackle persistent healthcare workforce shortages, the Shapiro Administration has announced that Pennsylvania will officially implement the Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact) and the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) starting July 7, 2025.

These compacts will allow licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurses (RN), and physical therapists (PT) who reside in Pennsylvania to obtain multi-state privileges, enabling them to practice across state lines in any member state. This expansion of licensure flexibility is expected to bolster provider mobility, support faster deployment of qualified professionals, and relieve staffing gaps, especially in underserved and rural communities.

By reducing regulatory barriers and enabling a more fluid workforce, these licensure compacts provide a critical tool for healthcare systems facing staffing crises, travel demands, and surging patient needs. It also opens new opportunities for Pennsylvania clinicians to access broader job markets without the need for duplicative licensure.

For healthcare providers and employers seeking relief from workforce shortages, the PT Compact and NLC represent a step toward a more agile and responsive healthcare system.

To learn more, visit the PT Compact website or the NLC information page. To read the full announcement from the Shapiro Administration, visit here.

A Joint Statement of Policy was released in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on January 13, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the State Board of Nursing, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding the application of Pennsylvania’s partial implementation of the Nurse Licensure Compact Act. The partial implantation of the Nurse Licensure Compact Act (2021 Act 68) allows Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) who hold current multistate licenses from other compact states to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without obtaining a license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, so long as the licensee’s principal place of residence is not in this Commonwealth.

What does this mean for Personal Care Homes (PCH) and Assisted Living Residences (ALR)?

The Joint Statement of Policy clarification on the partial implementation of the Nurse Licensure Compact Act means that PCH/ALR providers may consider a RN or LPN with a multistate license who does not have their principal place of residence in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be equivalent to a RN or LPN who holds licensure through the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Any reference to “Registered Nurse,” “RN,” “Licensed Practical Nurse,” “LPN,” or “nurse” in 55. PA Code Chapter 2600 and 55. PA Code Chapter 2800 and their corresponding Regulatory Compliance Guides (RCG) may be interpreted to include eligible multistate licensed nurses, regardless of whether or not the regulation specifically indicates that licensure is required by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

All other statutory and regulatory requirements continue to apply. All nurses being utilized in PCH/ALR settings must be able to provide services at the physical location if their job description, facility policies and procedures, and/or resident needs require direct resident assessment, evaluation, or treatment.

Visit here for more information on multi-state nurse licensure, including identification of states participating in the compact. Questions about this communication may be directed via email.